The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-12
CIGARETTE DANGERS.
The To bacco Heart and Congested Brain o.
Russell H. Knevals.
New York W orld.

New York World.
When Russell H. Knevals the medical stu
dent, was found dead in bed Thursday at the
house OF his father the late President Arthur's
former law-partner, at No. 60 East Fifty eightt
street. groundless rumors OF suicide and opium
poisoning were circulated. He was more the
victim of tobacco in the shape of cigarettes than
of anything else. Yesterday Coroner NJ. j. B.
MESSENGER made an autopsy, rather against the
wishes OF Mrs. knevais, and last evening he gave
the results of it as follows to World reporter
II found the heart flabby and fatty and de-
clded enlargement of the liver and spleen-both
. the results of the tobacco habit" he said. 1.-THE
stomach and kidneys were normal. but the
brain congested. I should say that death
ensued from congestion of the brain. aggravated
by tobacco heart and accompanied by a con-
gestive chill. The chill resulted from malaria
caused by sewer gas, the street has been torn
up; but the deceased q great cigarette
smoker I.thlnk the habit resulted in congestion
of the brain.
"You it is not every man who smoke
with impuniSy. and although Mr.. Knevals was
twenty eight years old and a stout man, it re-
suited in his death. There is nicotine in tobacco,
whether manufactured into cigars. cigarettes,
chewing smoking tobacco, and the result is
always the same-poison. Stout, dark and sal
low people not apt to be poisoned as thin,
Hghtcom plexloned persons-at least that is the
result of my observations at Mount Sinai Hos
pital, where have had many internal nervous
diseases under my charge. L noticed that nerv-
Gus men and boys were troubled with intermit-
tent heart pusations in greater proportion TO
women and girls. In most cases the males used
tons of the heart would be regular in tone and
note say for eight ten pulsations, and then
there would be intermission suspension
of two pnlsations. The Germans call this ia
back herr, or tobacco heart Tobacco contains
two deadly poisons, nicotine and empvreumatic
oil. the antidotes for which tannin and
caffeine, strong coffee One drop of nicotine
in state of concentrated solution would i'm
mediately destroy dog, and birds perish at the
approach of a tube containing the fluid, the
mere smell killing them. Tobacco moderately
taken in any form Quiets restlessness, causes
mental and corporal quietude and produces
a general languor or repose which has great
charms to those habltuated to the impression it
creates A liberal use of the narcotic gives rise
to confusion Of the head. vertigo faintness.
nausea, vomiting and q general depression of
the nervous clrculatory functions which, If in
creased, eventuates in alarming and even fatal
prostration, as was the case with young Knevals.
The symptoms of its excessive use and action
are severe retching, distressing and continued
nausea, feeble pulse, GOODNESS of the skin,
fanting and commissions. The sym ptoms of to-
bacco heart are a coated tongue. a sluggish pulse
and heart. anxious. haggard expression.
heavy bleared eyes, with whites discolored to
saffron. aud, worst OF all, the intermittent heart
pulsations.
'Manufactured tobacco contains more nicotine
than the material. and combustion while
smoking always increases the quantity. 1 be-
lieve pipe which allows the partial evaporation
or absorption of nicotine the best-or rather the
least harmless-smoke. The cigar, which al
lows some evaporation by its wrapper, is far less
injurious than the paper-wrapped cigarette, as
the paper neither absorbs nor permits the evap-
Grafton of nicotine. / smoke perhaps ten CARS
day without harm but should never think of
smoking ten cigarettes. Grant smoked vast
quantities of strong cigars, which only affected
his throat and not his heart. but few men could
have done it. Young knevals ia said to have
smoked sixty cigarettes day. That's a fearful
DOSE